Global giants Microsoft, Nike and Unilever announce carbon-neutral group

Mercedes, Starbucks and Indian information technology firm Wipro are also part of the group

French headquarters of Microsoft - the company is among several global corporate giants to join a carbon-neutral group. AFP

Microsoft, Nike, Starbucks, Unilever and Danone are teaming up in a new consortium devoted to sharing resources and tactics for slashing carbon emissions, bringing together the efforts of some of the biggest global companies that have pledged to take action against climate change.

The group, called Transform to Net Zero, also includes car maker Mercedes-Benz; Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk; Indian information technology firm Wipro; and Natura, the Brazilian cosmetics firm that owns Avon.

The alliance, which plans to recruit other members, will work with the non-profit Environmental Defence Fund and will share information on cutting emissions, investing in carbon-reduction technology and coordinating on public policy goals.

Microsoft said in January that it plans to be carbon negative — removing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it emits — by 2030. The software maker allocated $1 billion (Dh3.67) to a climate-innovation fund to invest in ways to reduce and remove carbon emissions, one of the most aggressive corporate plans.

By 2050, the company plans to remove the equivalent of all of its emissions since Microsoft’s founding in 1975. Amazon has also made a carbon-neutral pledge and recruited other companies to join. Both technology giants have come under fire from climate activists for continuing to provide cloud-computing services to large oil and gas producers.